Steel Pulse originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, Birmingham, and comprised David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronnie McQueen (bass).
However, it is Hinds who, as songwriter, has always been the engine behind Steel Pulse, from their early days establishing themselves in the Birmingham club scene onwards. Formed in 1975, their debut release, 'Kibudu, Mansetta And Abuku" arrived on the small independent label Dip, and linked the plight of urban black youth with the image of a greater African homeland. They followed it with 'Nyah Love' for Anchor.
Surprisingly, they were initially refused live dates in Caribbean venues in the Midlands because of their Rastafarian beliefs. Aligning themselves closely with the Rock Against Racism 1 organisation, they chose to tour instead with sympathetic elements of the punk movement, including the Stranglers, XTC etc.: "Punks had a way of enjoying themselves - throw hordes at you, beer, spit at you, that kind of thing".
Eventually they found a more natural home in support slots for Burning Spear, which brought them to the attention of Island Records. Their first release for Island was the 'Ku Klux Klan' 45 rpm, a considered tilt at the evils of racism, and one often accompanied by a visual parody of the sect on stage.
By this time their ranks had swelled to include Selwyn 'Bumbo' Brown (keyboards), Steve 'Grizzly' Nesbitt (drums), Fonso Martin (vocals, percussion) and Michael Riley (vocals). Handsworth Revolution was an accomplished long playing debut and one of the major landmarks in the evolution of British reggae.
However, despite critical and moderate commercial success over three albums, the relationship with Island had soured by the advent of Caught You (released in the US as Reggae Fever). They switched to Elektra, and unveiled their most consistent collection of songs since their debut with True Democracy, distinguished by the Garveyeulogising 'Rally Around' cut.
A further definitive set arrived in Earth Crisis. Unfortunately, Elektra chose to take a leaf out of Island's book in trying to coerce Steel Pulse into a more mainstream vein, asking them to emulate the pop-reggae stance of Eddy Grant. Babylon Bandit was consequently weakened, but did contain the anthemic 'Not King james Version', which was a powerful indictment on the omission of black people and history from certain versions of the Bible.
Their next move was id Hinds of Steel Pulse to MCA for State Of Emergency, which retained some of the synthesized dance elements of its predecessor. Though it was a significantly happier compromise, it still paled before any of their earlier albums.
Rastafari Centennial was recorded live at the Elysee Montmarte in Paris, and dedicated to the hundred year anniversary of the birth of Haile Selassie. It was the first recording since the defection of Fonso Martin, leaving the trio of David Hinds, Steve Nisbett and Selwyn Brown.
While they still faced inverted snobbery at the hands of British reggae fans, in America their reputation was growing, becoming the first ever reggae band to appear on the Tonight television show. Their profile was raised further when, in 1992, Hinds challenged the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission in the Supreme High Court, asserting that their cab drivers discriminated against black people in general and Rastas in particular.
Drummer Steve "Grizzly" Nisbett (15 March 1948 – 18 January 2018) died in 2018.
The band are still recording and touring.
Worth His Weight In Gold (Rall
Steel Pulse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rally round the flag
Rally round the red
Gold black and green
Marcus say sir Marcus say
Red for the blood
That flowed like the river
Green for the land Africa
Marcus say
Yellow for the gold
That they stole
Marcus say
Black for the people
It was looted from
They took us away captivity captivity
Required from us a song
Right now man say repatriate repatriate
I and I patience have now long time gone
Father's mothers sons daughters every one
Four hundred million strong
Ethiopia stretch forth her hand
Closer to God we Africans
Closer to God we can
In our hearts is Mount Zion
Now you know seek the Lion
How can we sing in a strange land
Don't want to sing in a strange land no
Liberation true democracy
One God one aim one destiny
CHORUS
Rally round the flag
Remember when we used to dress like kings
Conqueror of land conqueror of seas
Civilization far moved from caves
Oppressor man live deh
I curse that day
The day they made us slaves I say
How can we sing in a strange land
Don't want to sing in a strange land
Liberation true democracy
One God one aim one destiny
CHORUS
Rally round the flag
Red gold black and green
A bright shining star--Africa
Catch star liner right now--Africa
A history no more a mystery--Africa
Respect and authority--Africa
Climb ye the heights of humanity
Rally come rally rally come rally
The song "Worth His Weight in Gold" by Steel Pulse is a powerful call to action for Africans to stand up for themselves and take back their culture and heritage. The chorus encourages Africans to rally around their flag, which is represented by the colors red, gold, black, and green. Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican-born black nationalist and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, is referenced throughout the song. He believed that black people should take pride in their heritage and culture and advocated for the repatriation of Africans to Africa.
The first verse of the song explains the significance of the colors of the African flag. Red is for the blood that was shed by Africans who were forced into captivity and sold as slaves. Green represents the land of Africa and the hope of a better future. Yellow represents the gold that was stolen from Africa during colonialism. Black represents the people who were looted from and oppressed.
The second verse references the history of slavery and oppression in Africa and the struggle for freedom. The singer calls for the repatriation of Africans to Africa and the restoration of their dignity and culture. The final verse acknowledges the progress that has been made in the struggle for freedom but also acknowledges that there is still work to be done. The song ends with the rallying cry to come together and fight for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Rally round the flag
Come together under the banner of our cause
Rally round the red
The red represents the blood shed by our ancestors
Gold black and green
The colors of our flag signify the wealth and beauty of Africa
Marcus say sir Marcus say
We take inspiration from Marcus Garvey's words
Red for the blood
Red represents the blood shed by our ancestors
That flowed like the river
The blood shed was immense, like a river
Green for the land Africa
Green represents the beauty of Africa
Yellow for the gold
Yellow represents the wealth of Africa that was taken by others
That they stole
Others took our wealth without our consent
Black for the people
Black represents the African people who were exploited and oppressed
It was looted from
Our resources were taken from us by others
They took us away captivity captivity
We were taken from our homeland and enslaved
Required from us a song
We were forced to sing to uplift our spirits and maintain our culture
Right now man say repatriate repatriate
We demand the right to return to our homeland
I and I patience have now long time gone
We have waited a long time for our freedom
Father's mothers sons daughters every one
All of us, our entire community and family
Four hundred million strong
The African people are numerous and united
Ethiopia stretch forth her hand
Ethiopia is a symbol of African solidarity and progress
Closer to God we Africans
We are spiritual people who seek to live in harmony with the divine
In our hearts is Mount Zion
We carry the memory of our African homeland in our hearts
Now you know seek the Lion
We must seek power and strength like the lion
How can we sing in a strange land
We cannot truly celebrate our culture and identity in a foreign land
Don't want to sing in a strange land no
We refuse to assimilate and lose our African identity
Liberation true democracy
We seek freedom and self-governance
One God one aim one destiny
Our unity comes from our shared beliefs and goals
Remember when we used to dress like kings
We once had pride in our culture and dressed regally
Conqueror of land conqueror of seas
We were once a proud and powerful people
Civilization far moved from caves
We have a rich history and culture that dates back to ancient times
Oppressor man live deh
Our oppressors still exist and thrive in our society
I curse that day
We curse the day we were enslaved and oppressed
A bright shining star--Africa
Africa has a bright future and potential for greatness
Catch star liner right now--Africa
We must act now to seize our opportunities and achieve our goals
A history no more a mystery--Africa
We must embrace and understand our rich cultural heritage
Respect and authority--Africa
We demand respect and sovereignty for Africa and its people
Climb ye the heights of humanity
We must strive for greatness and excellence as human beings
Rally come rally rally come rally
We must come together and unite to achieve our goals
Contributed by Addison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.